K-1 (T-34/85M) Ironclad Company (VPABX02)

The Vietnamese term xe thiết giáp (ironclad vehicle) is used to refer to tanks. However, the influence of the English word ‘tank’ has also led to the use of xe tăng (pronounced ser tung), or simply tăng as well. Confusingly, tăng itself means increase or up.

The K-1 (kiểu or type 1) tank was the T-34/85M, a modernised Second World War-era tank, the first type of tank received by the PAVN. This type was most common in Laos, but mostly worn out and replaced by the time of the invasion of South Vietnam in 1972.

Tank designed by Evan Allen
Tracks & plastic componets designed by Will Jayne
Painted by Mark Hazell

The K-1 (T-34/85M) in Flames Of War Vietnam

Armour

Name

Mobility

Front

Side

Top

Equipment and Notes

Weapon

Range

ROF

Anti-tank

Firepower

K-1 (T-34/85M)

Standard Tank

7

5

1

Co-ax MG, Hull MG, .50 cal AA MG.

85mm ZIS-53 gun

32"/80cm

2

12

3+

Having seen combat in World War Two this trusty old warhorse is still a front line tank in many armies. While it may not be a match for the latest American hardware its presence on the battlefield can make a difference.

Hen and ChicksTank
crews are trained and equipped with Soviet tanks. Their doctrine
requires the entire company to operate as a single entity under tight
control of the company commander. Combined with a preference for going
into battle with all hatches closed, this results in Nationalist tanks
following their company commander, as the Germans described it in the
Second World War, ‘like chicks following a mother hen’.

If
a Nationalist Warrior or Platoon Command team moves in the Movement
Step, all of the Tank teams in its platoon (Nationalist company) must
move as well. If the Platoon Command team does not move, only Tank teams
that started the Movement Step Out of Command may move.

Any Tank
team that moves adds +1 to the score required to hit when shooting with
its main gun. This gives a cumulative penalty of +2 for ROF 1 weapons
unless they have Stabilisers. Machine-guns do not suffer this penalty.

AA MG (Anti-aircraft MG)
Many vehicles are fitted with anti-aircraft machine-guns to protect
the crews from strafing and dive-bombing aircraft. These are fired by
the crew from the open hatches of their vehicles. Manning the
anti-aircraft machine-gun during an assault invites a grenade through
the open hatch if the defensive fire isn’t effective.An AA MG has an all-round Field of Fire and is a Self-defence
Anti-aircraft weapon (see page 182 of the rulebook) allowing it to
engage aircraft as well as targets on the ground. However, firing an AA
MG leaves the vehicle more vulnerable. In assaults a tank that fired an
AA MG in this or the previous player’s turn has a Top armour rating of
0.

Anti-aircraft machine-guns can be fired at the same time as other
machine-guns, but not at the same time as a Main Gun, since the
commander and gun crew cannot do two things at once.